


High School Never Ends

by resident_longwinded_anon



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Cuddling, High School AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-07
Updated: 2015-03-07
Packaged: 2018-03-16 20:01:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3501074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/resident_longwinded_anon/pseuds/resident_longwinded_anon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean gets a C on a quiz. Cuddling and movie marathons ensue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	High School Never Ends

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted over on [Tumblr](http://resident-longwinded-anon.tumblr.com/post/113010891071/high-school-never-ends), where a very, very sweet anon asked for HS AU plus cuddling. Did I deliver? You'll have to see.
> 
> Title (because I couldn't resist) from the eponymous song by Bowling for Soup. ([x](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrxI_euTX4A)) (I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm really not.)
> 
> Takes place in not-canon. No mentions of Cas/ or Dean/Other. Mentions of Siobhan/Kristen and Charlie/Gilda.

 

C.

A goddamn C.

Well, a 78%, which would be a C plus, except stupid high school number 18 doesn’t use pluses or minuses. (Dean really misses that high school in Maine where A was an 80%.) Dean has done really well with keeping his grades up despite all the moving around they do, but here he is with a C on a freaking government quiz. It’s not his fault high school 17 taught world government and not American government, is it?

He crumples the test up and shoves it in his backpack pocket. If Ms. Masters sees him throw it out, she’ll take off even more points. Whatever. Everyone else starts packing up, even though there are two minutes to go until the bell rings.

"Ugh," Charlie sighs, leaning towards him across the rows. "Dean, how’d you do?"

Dean shrugs. “Fine.”

"Oh, c’mon, you need to let me live vicariously through your grades, buddy. I got an 84, man. You can’t have done worse than that."

Sometimes Dean really wishes he didn’t make friends with the smart kids wherever he goes. “86,” he mutters.

Charlie rolls her eyes as she carefully slots the test into her color-coded folders. “Dean Winchester, did you forget to study?”

He sinks further down in his seat. “Maybe.” He didn’t forget, he just simply didn’t have time. He had to help Sam with his math homework, and then he needed to make John dinner and tuck the both of them into bed. It was cram for the test or grab a few extra hours of sleep, and what, Dean thought he’d do fine. He does. Usually. Or he did. When he actually knew the material.

The bell rings and Charlie pops out of her seat like a jack-in-the-box. “Hey, Siobhan and Kristen and Gilda and I are heading to the ice cream place after rehearsal tonight,” she says as they walk out of the room and down the hallway. “You and your boyfriend wanna come? I still gotta meet him.”

Yes. “Nah, I gotta pick my brother up from his stupid club. Thanks for the invite, though.”

"One day, Dean Winchester, I’m going to get you to actually have fun."

They reach the fork in the hallway where Dean leaves and Charlie heads for theater. “Sure you are, kid,” he says.

"I’m older than you, you moron."

"By two and a half months!"

She sticks her tongue out and runs to catch up with Gilda. Dean sighs and pulls the crumpled-up test out of his pocket. He ducks out one of the back doors and tosses it into the ditch that collects all the rainwater. According to Miss Mosely, it was part of a misguided attempt to build a garden three years ago.

"That bad?" someone asks, sliding up next to him.

"Cas," he sighs. "Were you skipping again?"

"I was skipping my budgeting elective, Dean. Mr. Turner doesn’t even take attendance. Besides, if I ever need help budgeting, I can always ask you."

Dean kicks a rock. “Yeah, ‘cause God knows I have plenty of practice.”

"Dean - " Cas stops him with a hand on his arm. "What happened?"

"Got a bad grade."

"What class?"

"Government."

"You should know that Ms. Masters is famous for giving out apalling grades," Cas says as they start walking again.

"What, is that another piece of school lore I missed by not being here for the past three and a half years?"

"You’re in a bad mood."

"A point for Sherlock."

Cas reaches out to grab his hand. “I have an idea.”

"What’s that?"

"We take your car to my house, crash on the couch, and watch all the Lord of the Rings movies."

"But, I’ve got Sam - "

"Gabe can pick him up. He likes the kid. They can go see a movie or something."

"My dad - "

"Won’t even notice you’re gone."

"I can’t argue that one."

"See?"

"But - "

"No." Cas flips him around so they’re face-to-face. "No arguing."

"But - "

"You deserve some time to yourself, Dean. No. Arguing."

"But what about - "

"No."

"And - "

"No."

"But I promised Dad I’d - "

Cas pushes a finger against his lips. “Stop talking or I won’t kiss you tomorrow morning.”

Dean speaks around Cas’s finger. “That’s just playing dirty.”

Cas slants a smile at him, eyes flashing. “We can play dirty if you want, Dean.”

"Woah, dude, don’t go turning me on in the parking lot."

Cas laughs. “No playing dirty, then?”

"Not ‘til we get home, you doofus." Dean pauses in unlocking the car. "Just Lord of the Rings, right? None of that Hobbit bullshit?"

"Even if you wanted to watch the Hobbit, I wouldn’t let you." Cas slips in his side of the car. "Not after what they did to Beorn."

"You’re never gonna get over that, are you?"

"Not for as long as I live."

 

Later, at some point between the Mines of Moria and Treebeard, Dean mutters, “78,” into Cas’s shoulder.

"What was that?"

Dean pulls away slightly. “78.”

Cas sighs, his breath ruffling Dean’s hair. “That’s not a bad grade, Dean.”

"It is for me."

"I know, love."

"And Ms. Masters weighs her grades so weird, it’ll act like an F."

"As soon as we graduate I’m taking that up with her."

"Not like I’ll be here then, anyway."

Cas pauses the movie. “Don’t say that.”

"What? Best case scenario, Dad’ll probably go off chasing the next ridiculous serial killer story, and worst case scenario we’ll have to run from CPS again."

Cas starts petting a hand through his hair. “I hate your father.”

Dean leans back into Cas’s touch. “It’s just - Dad promised we’ll be here ‘til I graduate, but even if we are, I can’t leave Sam when John goes wandering off next.”

"You’re 18. Old enough to be his legal guardian."

"And who’d give a fuckup like me custody of someone like Sam? I can’t even get a job. And it’s not like - you honestly think I could handle responsibility like that?"

"I know you can."

"Well, that makes one of us."

Cas’s hand stills in his hair and he reaches out to grab Dean’s chin instead. “Look at me, love.”

Dean turns.

"You are the strongest person I’ve ever met, okay? You’ve been protecting your little brother your entire life, and you still manage to make incredible grades and one of the best attendance records I’ve ever seen."

Dean smiles. “It’s not like you’re setting a high bar for that, though.”

Cas laughs, but sobers quickly. “I just want you to know that you always have a home with me. You matter a lot, Dean. I know you don’t believe it, but - you’re a hero.”

"By certain definitions of hero, sure."

"No, Dean, quit it. Stop putting yourself down, okay? You are brilliant, and beautiful, and you love with your entire self, and I’ve had enough of your self-deprecation. I love you, and your brother loves you, and your friends love you, and - you’re just very loved, okay? You are very, very loved. Now come here."

Cas lifts an arm and Dean snuggles under it. Cas starts tracing patterns on his back through the cloth. “You really believe all that?” Dean asks.

"Yes."

Dean nuzzles his neck as Cas starts the movie playing again. “Can I tell you something?” he asks.

"Anything," Cas says.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Dean."


End file.
